In Ithaca We Trust. If this is not a clear message of how confident we are, I don’t know what is. Ithaca Hours is a local currency system that promotes local economic strength and community self-reliance in ways to support economic and social justice, ecology, community participation and human aspirations in and around Ithaca, New York.
Ithaca Hours helps to keep money local, thus building the Ithaca economy. It also builds community pride and connections. Over 900 participants publicly accept Ithaca HOURS for goods and services. Additionally, some local employers and employees have agreed to pay or receive partial wages in Ithaca Hours, further continuing their goal of keeping money local.
I met another person who many of you may know — Simon Sinek — who also has his own currency. Simon issues Tokens of Inspiration to people who inspire him or others. I keep my token in my pocket to remind me that there are better ways to measure success than how much money we have in our wallets. What keeps crossing my mind is that fact that, now more than ever, get the opportunity to build a society the way we want…all it takes is creativity combined with thought. I imagine that we will see a lot more people exchanging new types of currency in the future.
Tags: Consumer Behavior, Innovation, Inspiration
Great post. That local confidence is a model for us all.
Mark
I think we should have a currency based on ice cream. It would cost a lot to hoard it, it would be difficult to carry, and you would need to spend it quickly. This would keep things moving.
Although, it might prove to be difficult for the lactose intolerant.
Like I said… it would keep things moving.